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Hoonko 14-Jan-2007

Minister's Message by Rev. Fujimoto

Good Morning! OHIOGOZAIMASU! TADAIMA, I'm home. It's good to be able to share this Hoonko Family Service with all of you. Hoonko is the memorial service for our founder, Shinran Shonin. In Japan, all Buddhist schools have a Hoonko Service for their founder. Of these, the Shin Buddhist Hoonko is the largest. Hoonko is THE MOST IMPORTANT Shin Buddhist service. I try to encourage the Dharma School students, parents, teachers, and also the Taiko group that it is very important to try to attend these major family services. This is where we are able to learn, share, and transmit the traditions of Shin Buddhism. Not only do we learn about the teachings, we also share and add to the service with attendance and contribution. Today, the Kansho was hit by MAP Participant George Gledhill, we had chance to enjoy the IOBT Choir led by Jeanne Ozawa, the Dharma School's Erin Tanaka led the Golden Chain recitation, the Fujinkai will be serving lunch after service, we even have a rare and treasured service appearance by one of our Temple Presidents. Hoonko is not important on its own, we make it important by being here. I would like to acknowledge the Dharma School children here today. It is not easy for the children to sit through an adult service, the chanting is longer, the talk is longer, the service is longer, but you add so much just by being here, and you will benefit by getting to know the whole of the temple. Thank you for being here.

Today, the choir sang Ondokusan. These are the words of Shinran Shonin. Nyorai daihi no ondoku wa Mioko ni shitemo hozu beshi Shi shu chishiki no ondoku mo Hone o kudakite mo shasu beshi The debt of gratitude I owe to Amida�s Great Compassion I will proclaim until My life disintegrates into dust. The debt of gratitude I owe to my Dharma teachers I will express until My bodily form is finally shattered.

Shinran is saying: I want to show my gratitude for Amida's compassion by saying Namoamidabutsu until I die. I want to show my gratitude to all my teachers who helped me hear the Dharma by saying Namoamidabutsu until my bones turn to dust.

This is how much the teachings meant to Shinran, and when we sing this song, we are saying this is how much the teachings mean to me. The Teachings are not light, the Temple is not light, everything here is deep, and full, and heavy.

In order for Hoonko to be significant and meaningful to us, we need to recognize the accomplishments of Shinran. What did he do that was so special? We recognize him as the founder of the sect, but he did not think to be the founder. What he was trying to do was to clarify the intent and the teachings of his teacher, Honen Shonin.

Jodo Shinshu is often called and is translated as the True Pure Land Sect, but for Shinran, the use of Jodo Shinshu was meant as 'the true essence of the Pure Land Tradition." Again, clarification of the teachings was what was important to him. Shinran's wish was to share these teachings that were meaningful to him. Shinran did not set out to start a new school. He only felt that if these teachings could help him, then they could help anyone.

One of the interesting things about looking back at the struggles of Shinran Shonin and the perspectives that he came to, is that we can see how the teachings evolved. His teachings were misinterpreted and twisted by some followers, and they needed to be corrected. Sometimes, as we try to understand the teachings, we ask ourselves, is this what was meant?...how does it work?...is this what they are saying? Then, as we read about what happened in the past, we may find that many of our own mistakes or misunderstandings were already made by others. We can learn from the mistakes and misinterpretations that others have already made.

There are good and brilliant students, like Shinran was to Honen, and then there are slow and less capable students. Shinran taught that the recitation of the Nembutsu, Namo Amida Butsu, was a practice that could bring us to an awareness of Amida Buddha and to realize the wisdom of Buddhahood. Say Namo Amida Butsu with singleness of mind, and you will attain the Pure Land. No other practice is necessary. Just recite the Nembutsu.

There was a time when some of the lesser students became very creative, and interpreted these teachings differently. Just recite the Nembutsu, and you will be born into the Pure Land. Trying to gain followers and popularity, some of Shinran's followers began to teach that anything you do in life will be OK as long as you recite the Nembutsu. You don�t have to meditate...you don't have to study...you don't have to go to class. You can drink to excess...you can gamble...you can chase women. Just recite the Nembutsu and you will still reach the Pure Land. Go ahead, and do anything you want.

This misunderstanding actually happened. The teachings were being misrepresented by greedy teachers...what they taught became known as "licensed evil". They taught that saying Namoamidabutsu will erase everything bad that you do. People were eager to accept these teachings, and they became very popular. Obviously, this was not the intent of the Nembutsu teachings. Shinran had to clarify the teachings even more in order to straighten out the damaging misunderstanding that was caused.

What we want to recognize in the errors made in history, is that there is a tendency, and we are all capable, of twisting the teachings to favor our own situations. Self-serving thoughts continuously arise. Shinran recognized this in his own nature. We deceive ourselves continuously and repeatedly. All the more we need the Nembutsu, because our deceptions and illusions are to the core of our beings.

The Buddhist teachings are brutally honest in pointing out the selfish and deceptive side of us. Shinran observed this very clearly in his own nature. When Buddhism points this deception out, we only listen partially because we know we are not just selfish. We may have a selfish side, but we also have a selfless side. Has anyone here done things for others? Care Giving?...volunteering?...helping?...have you helped your friends?...your parents?...your kids? Sure we have...we all have. We know we have sacrificed...we have emphasized others over ourselves...we have given time...money...effort...all for the sake of others. I may be bad sometimes, but I�m not that bad...look at him...he�s worse than me. This is how we think. The Buddhist teachings remind us and encourage us to look deeper...look deeper. If we keep our perspective shallow, the Nembutsu will never have meaning...look deeper.

Today, we take time to recognize the life of Shinran Shonin. As we come to know his accomplishments, his personality, then his contributions become meaningful to us. He becomes important to us. Hoonko becomes significant. Today, we chanted the Shoshinge. These verses are written by Shinran, and so we chant them today. The first line of the Shoshinge is "Kimyo muryo ju nyorai". Kimyo means to take refuge. In his November article, Hawaii's Rimban Makino wrote, "Ki means you feel settled, able to feel safe and relieved, and in being able to find strong support, you become unshakable." (Goji, Nov. 2006) Surrounding us, embracing us, and supporting our lives are countless causes and conditions. These causes and conditions are what we come to know as Amida's Great Compassion. Awareness of the interdependent nature of life that allows me to live becomes that gratitude which is expressed as Namo Amida Butsu. Pay attention, this is the main sentence of the talk...Awareness of the interdependent nature of life that allows me to live becomes that gratitude which is expressed as Namo Amida Butsu. AWARENESS BECOMES GRATITUDE EXPRESSED AS NAMO AMIDA BUTSU. This debt of gratitude is felt to the very core of our being...extending even beyond death until our bones are turned to dust.

The whole deal...this life...the whole deal is a gift...all of it...all of it is given to us. When we arrive at this conclusion, our Nembutsu has meaning, meaning that no other words could convey, even the words to express gratitude are a gift from Amida, Namo Amida Butsu...I have nothing...I've done nothing...I have everything...Namo Amida Butsu. It is here that life becomes full...and deep...and heavy. Shinran's words show us his heart , to recite the Nembutsu beyond our own death, until we are turned to dust, until bodily form is shattered, until bones be crushed. That is the degree of gratitude and thanksgiving in the world of Shin Buddhism. Shinran did this, and so will we.

........GASSHO..........RAIHAI

Rev. Dennis

Hoonko 14-Jan-2007

Minister's Message by Rev. Fujimoto

Location

Sunday Service